Xx-x-xx



` (No Model.) 3 sheets-sheet 1.

T. L. RANKIN.

RBPRIGERATOB, GAR. l

No. 296,218. Patented Apr. l, 1884.

Si Q' b X 3 Sheets-Shet 2.

(Nu Model.)-

T. L. RANKI'N.

REFRIGERATEUR UAR.

Patented Apr. 1

(No Mudl.) 3 'Snee1:sSh'eet 3.

Y T. L. RANKIN.

I d RBFRIGERATOR GAR. v No, 296,218. l Patented Ap?. l, 18:84.

` UNITED STATES PATENT @triosa THOMAS L. RANKIN, OF NEV YORK, N. Y.

'REFRIGERATOR-CAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 296,218, dated April 1, 1884:.

Application filed December 15, 1883. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, Trrorms L. BANKIN, of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, haveinvented certain new audusei'ul Improvementsin Refrigerator-Cars; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form part of this specirication.

My invention relates .to apparatus for refrigerating a train or a portion of a train of cars used inthe transportation of perishable produce, more particularly meats of various kinds; and it consists in two series of refrigeratingpipes arranged, respectively, on opposite sides of the cars, and connected with two pipes extending through all of the cars to be refrigerated, one of the said pipes being connected with refrigerating apparatus on one of the cars ofthe train, and adapted to convey a refrigeratingdiquid to the several cars of the train, the other pipe being arranged to return the refrigerating-liquid to the refrigerating apparatus, to be again cooled and passed through the same cycle of operation as before.

My invention further consists in an arrangement of valves by means of which the flow of refrigerating-liquid may be controlled in the pipe system of each car separately; also, in4 .flexible pipe-connections interposed in the supply and return pipes between the cars, to admit ofthe free movement of the cars without affecting the pipes. l

Figure l in the drawings is a plan view of a portion of a train of cars with the car-roofs removed, showing the application of my improved refrigerating system. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a portion of a car with the side broken away to show the arrangement of` valves. Fig. 3 is a side elevation, and Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section of the refrigerator-car employed in cooling the refrigerating-liquid.

Lilie parts are designated by the same leta ters oi' reference in the different figures of the drawings.

Two pipes, A B, extend through all of the cars to be refrigerated, and are provided with ilexible pipe-connections C between the cars. The ends of each section of the pipes A B are provided with valves D and with couplings E,

for the attachment of the iiexiblc pipeconnections C. The pipes A B are preferably placed under the roofs of the cars, and at some convenient point within each car valves a b are connected, respectively, with the pipes A B, and from the valve a a pipe, F, fitted with return-bends and other usual pipe-connections, extends baclr and forth under the roof of the car, thence across the car at the end, thence back and forth upon the opposite side of the car to the valve l). It is not necessary that this arrangement of the pipe F be adhered to, as it may be arranged in many other ways to present the same effective refrigerating-surfacc to the atmosphere of the ear. The pipe A is supplied under pressure with brine or other non-congealable liquid, which has been deprved of its heat by the apparatus shown in Figs. 3 and 4, or by any ordinary well-known means. By opening the valves c b more or less the refrigerating-liquid will be allowed to pass from the supply-pipe A through the valve a, and through the pipe F to the valve Z1, through which the liquid is discharged into the returnpipe B, which conveys it to the refrigerating apparatus. The pipe F is capable of removing a maximum amount of heat when the valves a b are entirely open. By closing these valves more or less the amount of heat removed may be regulated as circumstances may require.

The valves D on the last car of the series are closed, to prevent the escape oi' the refrigerating-liquid from the pipes A B. By preference I employ the refrigerating apparatus shown in Figs. 3 and 4; but any other apparatus capable of suciently cooling the refrigerat` ing-liquid may be employed, a pump, G, driven by suitable power being used to circulate the refrigerating-liquid through the refrigerating apparatus and through the pipes A B F. The pump G draws the refrigeratingliquid from the receiver H, and forces it through the refrigeratingpipes I into the supply-pipe A, extending through the train. rIhe refrigerating-liquid is returned to the receiver H by the pipe B.

In the sectional elevation, Fig. It, I have shown diagrammatically the arrangement of roo pipes for a refrigerating-car adapted to either of the well-known systems of refrigeration by means of a liqueiiable gas-via the absorption and the compression system. As these two systems of refrigeration are well understood, they need not be described in detail.

` To secure the full effects of air-circulation and of radiation around the cooling-pipes J of the refrigeratin g apparatus, I h ave constructed the refrigerating-car in skeleton form, and entirely of iron. The cooling-pipes, being in contact with the various parts of the car, are to a great extent deprived of their heat by the conductivity of the iron of which its car is built. To still further augment the cooling of the said pipes, I spray water upon them from the nozzles K. Much of this water is evaporated by contact with the air, as the ear progresses and carries off a large proportion of the heat. The portion of the water not evaporated falls into the receiver L, to be used again. As an additional means of cooling, I may use the water from the tender of the locomotive of the train, returning the same to the tender, to be used in the engine. By this arrangement a double advantage would be gained-that is, the heat would be carried away from the refrigerating apparatus, and the feed-water of the locomotive would be warmed.

In my system of car-refrigerationInot only economize by saving a large percentage ofthe cost of ice, and the further expense of trans porting it, but I effect a great savingiof car room, also in the expense of building the car. An ordinary refrigeratingcar is merely made very rigid and heavy to sustain the weight of ice at the top of the car, and to enable it to withstand the shocks incident to railway trafiic. By dispensing with ice and with the weight added to the car to adapt it to the purpose of refrigeration, I effect a saving of five thousand pounds for each car, or one hundred thousand pounds for a train of twenty cars. The saving in the power required to draw the train secured by dispensing with superfluous weight more than compensates for the power consumed in operating the refrigerating apparatus.

In many meat-producing countries ice is entirely wanting, or else is so expensive as tobe unavailable for the purposes of car-refrigeration. My improvements secure cheap refrigeration in any climate, and will therefore render a trade i n dressed meats practicable in countries where it has heretofore been impracticablel Another advantage of my system of car-refrigeration is that a lower temperature can be produced than withice, thus enabling meatssuch as pork, &c.- -to be safely transported.

Having described my invention,what I claim 1s- 1. rIhe combination, with a railroad car or cars, of refrigeratin g apparatus comprising the pipes A B, extending longitudinally through said car or cars, iiexible connecting-tubes G, valves c b, and a pipe, F, connecting the said valves a b, as set forth. n

2. In a refrigerator-car, theY combination of asupply-pipe, A, having valve a, a returnpipe, B, having valve b, a pipe, F, connecting the valves a and b, flexible pipe-connec tions G, and valves `D E, as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I affix mysignature in presence of two witnesses.

Trios. L. RANKIN.

Witnesses:

FRANK M. CLUTE, W. l?. Koenen. 

